Colts Add Another Former Vikings QB
Daniel Jones has taken Indianapolis by storm after leading his squad to a surprising 5-1 record in what very much looks like a run comparable to the 2024 Vikings, who also started 5-1. Mr. Jones was employed by the purple team last year, but didn’t play for them.
Colts Add Another Former Vikings QB
The veteran passer left Minnesota, reportedly because he thought it was easier to win a QB competition against Anthony Richardson than it was to usurp J.J. McCarthy. Whether it really was easier can’t be proven, but he was undoubtedly correct about his chances of starting in Indy.
Richardson, the former fourth-overall pick, suffered an orbital fracture in the recent pre-game warmup, and he’s since been placed on IR, knocking him out for at least four contests, potentially even longer.
Due to his absence, the Colts had only Jones and rookie Riley Leonard left. Another arm was needed, and they found that arm attached to Brett Rypien, a former Vikings quarterback. Ironically, the Vikings released Rypien ahead of last season’s playoff game (he returned to the practice squad) to make room for Jones, who they wanted to promote from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. That maneuver made him eligible for the compensatory formula.
Anyway, Rypien was signed to the practice squad.
The Colts announced on their official website, “The Colts on Wednesday signed quarterback Brett Rypien to the practice squad. The roster move comes after the Colts placed backup quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. on injured reserve on Monday; Richardson sustained a fractured orbital bone during pregame band work on Sunday. Head coach Shane Steichen said on Monday that Richardson will “miss some time” but didn’t have a specific timeline for his return. Richardson will miss a minimum of four games while on injured reserve.”
Despite being on the practice squad, there’s a good chance Rypien will actually suit up in the upcoming weeks. His experience could make him a more dependable option than rookie sixth-rounder Leonard in case of an injury to the starter.
James Boyd, The Athletic, uncovered some ties between Rypien and the Colts: “Rypien does not appear to have any direct ties to the Colts franchise or its coaching staff. However, Rypien’s uncle, Mark, was the backup QB to Colts legend Peyton Manning in 2001 and appeared in four games. Mark Rypien was also a two-time Pro Bowler, two-time Super Bowl champ and the 1991 Super Bowl MVP with Washington.”
Rypien was released by the Bengals last week following their trade for Joe Flacco. Prior to the trade, some voices had called for him to replace Jake Browning in the starting lineup because of the struggles on offense.
In his NFL resume, Rypien has four career starts (11 appearances), throwing for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He has just found his eighth employer, following the Broncos, Rams, Seahawks, Jets, Bears, Vikings, and Bengals.
The former Boise State standout failed to clinch the QB3 spot in Minnesota. His preseason performance was worse than that of undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, so the Vikings opted to go with Brosmer behind J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz.
Rypien is 29. He spent time with the Vikings between August 2024 and August 2025.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.